THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2007
NEWS
9A
POETRY (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
Dennis Mersmann, Lawrence senior, reads poetry in public forums often. He won second place and a $25 gift certificate Tuesday night for his comedic poems about a kid in his residence hall who doesn't wear a shirt and another poem entitled "Great Communicator", which satires a lack of communication with an ex-girlfriend. He said he won the first poetry reading competition he entered last year and was hooked. Mersmann has since entered every Student Union Activities Poetry Slam and reads periodically at the Iazzhaus. 926 1/2 Massachusetts St.
"We're here to entertain not to think about metaphor or rhyme structure," Mersmann said.
But some audience members were there to think about such things.
Justin Litt, Minneapolis, Minn., sophomore, was encouraged to attend the event by his poetry writing professor. Litt said he could hear many of the poetic techniques he had learned about in class.
"I thought the material was more funny," Litt said, "but I saw a lot of metaphors, euphony and heard good flow."
While poets like Bowers read eloquently, other poets laughed and stumbled their way awkwardly through material. This was the third and final SUA Poetry Sham of the semester.
Kansan staff writer Bethany Bunch can be contacted at bbunch@kansan.com.
Edited by James Pinick
"Shirt Boy" by Dennis Mersmann
In the dorm where I work there is a resident who I have never seen with a shirt on.
This is good because a shirt would cover his sweaty chest
and if I can't see him sweat how will I know how hard he works out?
Thank God he goes topless so the position of his nipples isn't something I have to guess at.
》 LIQUOR SALES
Senate bill changes city laws
BY JOE HUNT
Two Kansas cities voted to expand liquor laws last week and one chose not to.
Mulvane will allow liquor sales for the first time, Andover will allow liquor sales on Sundays pending city council approval and Sedgwick will continue to prohibit Sunday liquor sales.
Laws restricting alcohol sales across Kansas were overruled in 2005 with Senate Bill 298, which called for uniform liquor control laws. Cities would have to pass new laws to further limit the sale of liquor.
Mulvane had never had a liquor store, yet had no laws against selling liquor until someone tried to open a store in 1981. Kent Hixson, city administrator, said that the attempt spurred the citizens to vote against the sale of all but 3.2 percent beer and wine.
Last Tuesday two-thirds of Mulvane voted in favor of selling liquor, although Sunday sales will still be prohibited.
In Sedgwick there has been controversy about Sunday liquor sales. Jaci Reimer, city administrator, said a local store owner felt she was losing money by not operating on Sundays. She petitioned to the city council, which passed an ordinance allowing Sunday sales, despite disagreement from the mayor. Local citizens were so upset they petitioned to vote on the ordinance, and the ordinance was voted down.
Kansan staff writer Joe Hunt can be contacted at Jhunt@kansan. com.
Edited by Stacey Couch
Andover city administrator Jeff Bridges expects the council to approve Sunday sales by the first week in May. Andover will join 59 other cities that allow the sale of liquor on Sunday.
HIJACKING IN TURKEY Suspect apprehended, no explosives found
ANKARA, Turkey — A man who allegedly commandeered a Turkish jetliner Tuesday by threatening to set off a bomb was detained after the plane landed in Ankara, but no explosives were found, authorities said.
Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said a passenger announced he had a bomb after the Pegasus airline Boeing 737 took off from Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkey's southeast.
The man, identified as Mehmet Goksin Gol, 39, initially said he wanted the plane diverted to the capital, Ankara, but changed his mind and demanded it飞 to
Tehran, Iran, Yildirim said. But the pilots landed at Ankara and the man gave himself up about 40 minutes later.
Yildirim said the man did not make any political demands and the reason for the hijacking was unknown.
No injuries were reported.
Associated Press
PLATFORMS (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
United Students most important platform issue deals with academic freedom.
ACADEMIC FREEDOM
The platform calls for the institution of a dead week before finals and an 'A' guarantee for credit/no credit.
junior and vice presidential candidate.
The idea of a dead week would guarantee that students would not have a test the week before finals.
"Currently a student can have a test on Thursday and a final on Monday," said Ray Wittlinger, Olathe
Todd Cohen, director of University Relations, said students would have to make a case to the faculty governance for why this should happen. The governance is open to hear any changes to the policy, Cohen said.
An "A" guarantee for students opting to take credit/no credit means a student who earns an "A" keeps the grade.
"By allowing them to receive the 'A' they are being rewarded," Wittlinger said.
VIOLATIONS (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
pletely malicious in the statements, the commission could impose a large fine." Witty said.
If United Students wins the election and is found guilty of defamation with malicious intent, it could be disqualified, Witty said.
"The decision is totally up to the commission," Witty said.
"This is indicative of the hostile environment surrounding the coalitions," Witty said. "The hostility they have toward each other is unfortunate."
Connor said he filed the violation complaint because United Students
had made it a
had point to lie about
its accomplish-
ments and that's
not how to win
an election.
Connor said it was up to the commission to decide what to do, but he was confident about the case.
"It could definitely play a role in voting if that information is what people base their opinions
"I called Wittlinger and asked him about the statements," Connor said. "When I heard it again the next week, I filed the complaint."
"If they are found to be completely malicious in the statements, the commission could impose a large fine."
CAYLA WITTY Elections commissioner on the allegations against United Students
Wittlinger said United Students had stood and practiced integrity throughout the campaign.
"Every year Delta Force attempts to distract from the campaign because they can't stand on their own ideas and make frivolous claims to the election commission and try to get negative stories written about their opponents in the papers." Wittinger said.
Witty said the only other complaint she had seen similar to this was two years ago.
on." Connor said.
Wittlinger said that the student body was smarter and better than these allegations.
The results of the election can be contested before the commission's decision on Monday
Witty said that if the commission found the case to be feasible, a new election could take place.
Voting between Delta Force, Students' Rights and United Students begin today and end at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Kansan staff writer Ashlee Kieler can be contacted at akieler@kansan.com.
Edited by James Pinick
Rich Hale, associate professor of aerospace engineering and University Senate president, said for this to be a reality, students would have to draft a recommendation for policy change to University Senate.
"It would be interesting to see what the rest of the student body thinks." Hale said.
Kansan staff writer Ashlee Kieler can be contacted at akieler@kansan.com.
Edited by Stacey Couch
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